Flying-machine.



v. P. GALLE. FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I, I911.

1,257,212. Patented Feb. 19,191&

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR WITNESSES V. P. GALLE.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION. FILED JUNEAI. I917.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

4 W Q I a U JQ m N I a Q N) L v u m INVENTOR WITNESSE; mgxte ATTORNEY V. F. GALLE. FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION man JUNE 1. 1911.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- INVENTOR Tffzawe.

BY W5 ATTORNEY/ onrrnn srarns ra'rnnr onrren VINCENT P. GALLE, OF FREEMANSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed June 1, 1917. Serial No. 172,330.

means between said lateral balancing surfaces and the operators seat, and so mount said seat, that the latter is adapted to move toward the low side of the machine and thereby'operate the lateral balancing surfaces automatically in such a manner as to cfi'ect a restoration of the equilibrium of the machine, the result being accomplished automatically and without any attention or thought 011 the part of the occupant or occupants of the seat.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide in conjunction with the connecting means between the operators seat and the lateral balancing planes, adjustable means for limiting and varyingthe amplitude of movement of said connecting means according to the will or desire of the aviator.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of a flying machine, partly broken away to show the applied relation of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation partly in section showing the seat structure and part of the lateral controlling means.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through one of the medial struts and one of the thimbles. 1

In illustrating the present invention, I have shown the improved balancing means applied to a biplane structure, comprising the top and bottom planes 1 and 2, the struts 3 and diagonal stays 4C, the arrangement beof the rod 7 by ing similar to the present day biplane construction.

In carrying out the present invention, the aviators seat 5 is mounted so that it is laterally movable, being shown as mounted directly upon the lower plane 2; The seat 5 is mounted so as to slide lengthwise of the bottom plane or laterally with respect to the line of flight of the machine so thatwhen the machine dips or inclines to one side, said seat will slide toward the low side.

Located above the seat 5 and parallel to the top and bottom planes is a longitudinally movable plunger rod 7 which is slidable through openings 8 in the adjacent struts or posts 3, the latter being made somewhat heavier than the remaining struts of the biplane structure in order to support and guide the necessary parts of the connecting means between the seat 5 and the ailerons or lateral balancing planes 9. Thimbles or tubular housings 10 are secured to the outer sides of the medial struts 3, being formed with attaching fianges'll for that purpose and the outer ends of said thimbles are closed and contain cushioning springs 12 against which the opposite extremities of the plunger rod 7 bear, the springs 12 therefore serving to yieldingly resist the reciprocatory movements of said plunger rod. The seat 5 is connected to the plunger rod 7 by stays or rods 13 having slotted ends 14 which engage pins 15 on the rod 7.

Stops 16 in the form of sleeves or collars are placed around the rod 7 and provided with set screws 17 by means of which said stops may be adjusted longitudinally of the rod 7 and fastened securely thereto. The rod 7 is graduated as indicated at 18 to enable the aviator, preparatory to any particu lar flight, to accurately adjustthe stops 1'6 and thereby proportionately limit the reciprocatory movements of said plunger rod.

Each of the medial struts 3 is formed with a vertically elongated recess 19 extending above and below the opening 8 through which the plunger rod 7 slides. Arranged above and below the rod 7 in the recesses 19 are bearing heads 20 carrying rollers 20' which are pressed against the opposite sides means of coiled expansion springs 21 which. press against the bearing heads 20. The spring thrust bearing heads- 20 serve to flexibly support the rod 7 where it passes slidingly through the struts and '7 'so that the latter is moved in the prevent said rod from binding in the openings 8. The bearing heads also frictionally but yieldingly resist the back and forth movements of the rod '7 which controls the ailerons or lateral balancing planes or surfaces.

The stays or rods 13 converge toward their lower extremities where they are connected by a pin 2 to a vertically movable plunger rod movable vertically in a tubular housing or guide 25 having an attaching plate or flange '27 enabling the same to be secured by fastening means such as bolts 28 to the bottom plane 2. The bolts 28 also pass through a plate 29 hearing against the under side of the bottom plane 2. The lower end of the tubular guide 26 is closed by a head 30 having a central opening to guide the plunger rod Within the tubular guide 26 there is arranged a compression spring 31 which is interposed between the head 30 at the bottom of the tubular guide 26 and a collar 32 fast on said plunger rod. The seat 5 is adapted to move or rock laterally on the pin 24- which therefore forms a pivotal connection between the seat 5 and the plunger rod 25. The spring 31 yieldingly resists the downward movement of the plunger rod 25. As the seat 5 rocks to one side or the other, the slotted ends l l thereof are correspondingly moved, engaging and sliding in relation to the pins 15 of the reciprocatory rod direction of its length for the purpose of operating the lateral balancing planes or ailerons. V i

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings its will now be understood that when the flying machine lists or dips the other, the seat 5 assisted to one side or by the weight of the occupant or occupants thereof will immediately swing toward the low side of the machine and by reason of the fact that said seat is attached to the plunger rod 7, the latter will be actuated in the same direction, the movements thereof being yieldingly resisted by means ct one of the springs 12 and also by the frictional resistance of the yieldably supported bearing heads 20. The connections or cables 23 which extend from reduced extensions 22 of the plunger rod 7 to the lateral balancing pla es, will thereupon perform their function, causing the balancing plane the lower side of the machine to produce a lifting effect, and the balancing plane at the higher side of the machine to produce a depressing effect. The lateral balance or equilibrium of the ma chine is thus automatically restored without any thought or attention on the part of the aviator.

I claim 1. Lateral balancing chines, comprising machine structure,

means for flying main combination, a flying a laterally movable seat,

lateral balancing surfaces, a plunger rod in parallel and spaced relation to the supporting surface of the machine slidable longitudinally and supported by the medial struts, connecting means between the seat and said plunger rod whereby the plunger rod is actuated by the lateral movements of the seat, connecting means between said plunger rod and the lateral balancing surfaces, and means for yieldingly resisting thelongitudinal movements of said plunger rod.

2. Lateral balancing means for tlying m chines, comprising in coinbinatioina flying machine structure, a laterally movable seat, lateral balancing surfaces, a plunger rod in parallcl'and spaced relation to the supporting surface of the machine slidable longitudinally and supported by the medial struts, connecting means between the seat and said plunger rod whereby the plunger rod is actuated by the lateral movements of the seat, connecting means between said plunger rod and the lateral balancing surfaces, means for yieh: ingl' resisting the longitudinal movements of said plunger rod, and adjustable means for regulating the amplitude of movement of said plunger rod.

3. Lateral balancin means for flying machines, comprising in combination, a flying machine structure, a latera lly movable seat, lateral balancing surfaces, a plunger rod in parallel and spaced relation to the supporting surface of the machine slidable longitudinally and supportedby the medial struts, connecting means between the seat and said plunger rod whereby the plunger rod is actuated by the lateral movements of the seat, connecting means between said plunger rod and the lateral balancing surfaces, means for yieldingly resisting the longitudinal movements of said plunger rod, said plunger rod resisting means embodying tubular housings attached to said struts and receiving the ends of the plunger rod, and cushioning springs in said housings which yieldingly take the thrust of said plunger rod.

fl. Lateral balancing means for flying machines, comprising in combination, a flying machine structure, a laterally movable seat, lateral balancing surfaces, a plunger rod in parallel and spaced relation to the sup porting surface of the machine slidable longitudinally and supported by the medial struts, connecting means between the seat and said plunger rod whereby the plunger rod is actuated by the lateral movements of the seat, connecting means between said plunger rod and the lateral balancing surfaces, means for yieldingly resisting the longitudinal movements of said plunger rod, and resiliently supportedbearing members between which said plunger rod is slidable.

5. Lateral balancing means for flying'machines, comprising in combination, a flying machine structure, a laterally movable seat, lateral balancing surfaces, a plunger rod in parallel and spaced relation to the supporting surface of the machine slidable longitudinally and supported by the medial struts, connecting means between the seat and said plunger rod whereby the plunger rod is actuated by the lateral movements of the seat, connecting means between said plunger rod and the lateral balancing surfaces, means for yieldingly resisting the longitudinal movements of said plunger rod, and resiliently supported bearing members between which said plunger rod is slidable, said bearing members being housed within the struts through which said plunger rod is slidable.

6. Lateral balancing means for flying machines, comprising in combination, a flying machine structure, a laterally movable seat,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the lateral balancing surfaces, a plunger rod in parallel and spaced relation to the supporting surface of the machine slidable longitudinally and supported by the medial struts, connecting means between the seat and said plunger rod whereby the plunger rod is actuated by the lateral movements of the seat, connecting means between said plunger rod and the lateral balancing surfaces, means for yieldingly resisting the longitudinal movements of said plunger rod, said plunger rod being graduated, and stop sleeves surrounding said plunger rod and adjustable along the graduated portions thereof toward and away from said struts,

said stop sleeves serving to limit the longitudinal movements of the plunger rod by contact with said struts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

VIN GENT P. GALLE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

